Spindles, darkness, fevers and necklaces
by And we dance x
Summary: Harry x Luna : Yeah, don't destroy yourself like those cowards do : What do you do when the ones you love won't let you help them? I just can't sit back and watch it kill you...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. You should know that. Fools.

**Chapter 1**

You turn on a spindle. You are so much looser now but you're not explaining how you gained  
such new repose.

Like in court, when the members of public would rise in honour of the judge before them, the Death Eaters rose one by one as the clock clad figure swept past them in a hurry. A fat lump of a man trailed behind him, waddling as he walked. Each at a time, the men and women kneeled down it their rightful places, beneath the Lord they honoured.

'You may stand, my followers.' The towering Lord muttered in his hiss of a voice.

In a group, they rose, instantly abiding their master's command.

'I have called this meeting to discuss some pressing matters with you, my family.' He continued, stroking the top of Bellatrix's head lovingly. 'And of course, this pressing matter has very much to do with Harry Potter.'

'Have you finally gotten a hold of him, milord?' Fenrir growled anxiously.

'No, I haven't. I've come to let you know that we will be lying low for a while.'

'Lying low?' Aymcus inquired.

'Yes, we will be lying low until I say otherwise. Don't bring any attention to yourselves and keep to quieter places. Until I give the word, you can relax.'

'And what will you be doing, Master?' Severus asked, as many of the Death Eaters began to walk away. At the sound of Snape's question, they all stopped and turned to face their master, the same look of hunger and curiosity upon their faces.

'There same thing that you will be doing, Severus.' He stated simply, folding his arms over his chest.

'But…why?' Severus continued. Many of his fellow followers stared at him, as though asking how he even dared to ask such a question.

The Dark Lord stared at him for a moment before he spoke, considering the pale fellow before him. 'I shouldn't have to tell you why I do things, Severus. You must trust my judgement. I know why I do things, and I know that good will come out of it. You are dismissed. All of you.'

Severus hovered back for a moment after the others had all left, but with a look from his Lord, he neglected any plans to ask more questions. He too left the pale, creature of a man to his solitude.

×××

Panting, with cold sweat shimmering upon his forehead, Harry sat upright in his bed, tossing his bed sheets aside. The pulsing pain in his forehead was beginning to fade, but it could still feel the throbbing there. He traced his pale, shaking fingertips across the scar embedded in his skin and sighed, leaning back against the headboard.

''Arry?' A groan erupted from the bed across from his.

'Hmm?' he asked, looking over at the red-head who was now staring intently as him.

'Nightmare?' Ron Weasley asked, lifting his head up from his pillow.

'You could say that.' Harry answered vaguely.

'Anything important?' Ron grumbled thickly through a yawn.

'Naw, not really. Same old, sa-'but halfway through his sentence, he glanced over and saw that the other boy had fallen back to sleep. Harry rolled his eyes and lay back down underneath his blankets.

The dream didn't worry him, although it felt as real as all the other ones had, but sleep was refusing to come to him again. He willed its drowsy wave to drown him, but nothing came and he was left staring at the asbestos ceiling over his head.

He felt revolted at himself for feeling the same curiosity that Snape had felt. He wanted to know why Voldemort was lying low for the time being, he wanted to know what had happened to make him change his way of going at things. But these questions, he thought, would have to wait until morning because he found that his head was still pounding painfully at him. Closing his eyes, he turned to bury the side of his face into the down of his pillow, looking out the attic window.

Tonight was not the night to have his sleep punctured by nightmares. It was night where he needed his sleep, for soon, he would have to start looking for the missing horcruxes.

×××

'Are you going out today, Harry?' Ginny asked of him over breakfast. 'You know, to start looking for those Horcruxes?'

His mouth thickly filled with porridge, he nodded in answer to her question. They were the only two people awake and downstairs, everyone else having taken the chance to sleep in.

'You need any…help?' she then asked of him.

Harry swallowed his food and took his time to reply. 'The only help I need is the help that I can't get, Ginny. I don't even know where to start.'

'You need Dumbledore, you mean.' Ginny said, taking a guess.

'Yes, I do. But I can't exactly get his help, can I?' Harry replied shortly.

'I know that. Which is why I was going to say, you could use all the help you can get, right?' Harry thought for a moment, then nodded 'Exactly. So, Ron, Hermione and I will be coming with you. And Luna might as well, seeing as she'll be spending most of the summer here, anyway.'

'Look, Ginny: I said I needed help, I didn't mean I needed a hundred people trying to give me ideas.' Harry told her.

'We're four people, Harry, not a hundred.'

'I can count, I was just making a point.' He said, staring at her.

'And _I'm_ just trying to make _my_ point clear to you. We're _going_ to help you.' She stated clearly.

Harry thought it best not to argue with her, seeing as he always lost anyway. He shovelled another mound of porridge into his mouth.

×××

'You're letting us come?' Hermione asked when she had gotten ready and eaten her breakfast with the rest of the Weasley family.

'Yes, I am.' Harry replied, sitting down on the front stoop to fasten his shoelaces.

'Last time I checked, you wanted to do all of this _alone._' Ron said, running a hand through his mess of ginger hair.

'Do you guys want to come or not?' Harry asked, standing up and staring at the three people in front of him.

'Of course we want to come, Harry. We just wanted to know what made you change your mind.' Hermione said on behalf of all of them.

'Ginny!' Mrs. Weasley called from inside the house. 'Luna's arrived.' Within moments, Mrs. Weasley had joined the rest of them outside, Luna Lovegood at her side.

'Hi, Luna.' Ginny grinned a she was joined and embraced by her friend.

'Now, listen here. I've called for Hagrid to go with you lot, just to be safe. There's no way I'd let you all wander around freely. He should be here in a moment or so, so wait here for him and some one tell me when he gets here.' Mrs. Weasley explained to them, the sternness in her voice never quaking.

So, the group of five stood outside the Burrow, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their giant friend.

'Where exactly are we going, Harry?' Hermione asked as they all waited by the fence.

'Godric's Hollow.' Harry answered without looking at her. 'I wanted to go there before we started looking.'

'Sounds good to me.' Ron replied, glancing up as they were suddenly cast into a shadow.

Harry looked up from his view of the ground and squinted to make out the huge, bold shape that was Hagrid.

'Are you lot ready to go?' he asked, gruffly, beaming down on all of them.

As Harry got to his feet, he was swept into a rib-cracking hug until he begged of Hagrid to let him down.

'Yeah, we're ready.' Hermione smiled 'I'll go and let Mrs. Weasley know that we're leaving.' She added, turning to walk back in the direction of the door.

'So, where're we of to first, Harry?' Hagrid asked.

'Godric's Hollow, if you don't mind.' Came his reply.

'It'll be odd to see that place again.' He muttered to himself.

'No kidding.' Harry added, looking down at his feet.

×××

Author's Note: Okay. So, this chapter made me really angry because it's pretty bad. But I wanted to post something up before I left for Toronto. I promise that alllll my other chapters will be better since I won't be rushed when I write them, and for now, I apologize for this one. –dies-  
Read and review, pretty please.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Unfortunately, never will. But you already know that.

**Chapter 2**

I touch the clasp of your locket, with its picture held, some secret you wouldn't  
tell but let it choke your neck.

The house hadn't been rebuilt. It still lay crumbled on the ground, just like it had appeared in all of his nightmares. Bricks and stones made their own wall around old furniture. Had he expected memories to come flooding back to him at the sight of his childhood home, he'd have been wrong. Luckily, he hadn't expected anything. He had learn that when he came to expect things, they amounted to nothing but a let down.

'Harry?' He heard a voice from beside him, and he jumped slightly. Luna had walked over to him while everyone else approached the rubble, slowly looking around.

'Yeah, I guess I just zoned out of it a bit.' He said quietly, hoping it was a good enough answer. The truth was that he was afraid. Now that he was here, the place he had longed to see for the longest time, he wasn't sure if he was prepared to see what was really there.

'Are you alright?' Luna asked, looking up at him, trying, it seemed, to catch his eye but he keenly avoided it.

'Yeah. C'mon.' he replied stonily, striding off towards the mess of stone and wood. Luna followed him, keeping a few steps between them.

He stepped over a few pieces that were in his way, steadying himself by placing his hands against a few pieces of wood. Quickly turning to see if Luna was still behind him, he hastened to catch her as she nearly tripped over the same piece he had stepped over.

'You okay?' he asked, pushing her back onto her feet.

'Yeah, I'm fine. Keep going.' She said to him.

There was broken glass scattered across the floor from assorted vases and things, some shards even spilled from broken picture frames. Luna bent down to pick one up, careful not to cut her fingers. It was an old photograph by the looks of it, and unlike many magical photos, it was still. Five people were gathered in front of the Hogwarts doors, each of them with a smile practically spread across their entire faces. They all looked as though they wanted the moment to last forever.

'These are your parents?' Luna asked, as Harry stopped. He turned around and walked back to her, taking the picture out of her hands.

Gazing down at the picture, he smiled to himself. 'My parents and their best friends.'

'They look so happy.' Luna said, still looking over his arm.

'Yeah, they do.' Harry agreed, handing the picture back to her.

'Do you want to keep it?' she asked, looking between the photograph and him.

'No.' he answered, before quickly turning away. He kept on walking for a few minutes, before he turned around and made to leave. As he began to walk back to the front of the property however, a glint of silver caught his eye amidst the sea of grey stone. Tilting his head, he took a few more steps towards the shining object and he bent down to pick it up. A thin silver chain spilled over his fingers, dangling from the end of which was a small silver, heart-shaped locket. He slid the nail of his thumb between the crack to open the locket, but he couldn't pry it apart.

'Luna, did you drop this?' he called to her.

Luna stopped walking and turned around. Stepping over to him, she glanced down at the chain he held and shook her head. 'Nope. I've never owned a locket. Can you open it?' she asked.

Harry shook his head. 'Why don't you try? Your nails might be longer than mine.'

Luna gently took the locket from his palm and slid her finger nail through the crack, and with some timid prying, she soon managed to get the locket open.

'I've got it.' she said, making to hand it back to him. But he had already stood up and was peering down over her shoulder.

'What does it say?' Harry asked her, narrowing his eyes a bit.

'There's a picture on one side, and on the other…' She tilted the locket 'It says Forever and a day, Together always. I think.' She added, squinting to see the minute writing a little bit better.

'And the picture? What's it of?' Harry asked.

'I think it's your mum and dad. But it's all ripped and burnt, and the faces seem smudged. I can't tell for sure.'

He took the necklace from her and brought the heart-shaped locket closer. Even though the tiny photograph was distorted, he could tell it was his parents. He had the same picture of them in a photo album that he had gotten from Hagrid.

'Yes, it's them.' He told her, gently closing the locket. 'Must have been my mum's.'

'You should keep it, Harry, instead of leaving it here.' Luna said to him, nodding towards his hands where the ornate silver snake lay.

He glanced up at her. 'I think I will.' He said, smiling slightly. 'Come on, I think we can go. There's nothing here anyway.' He casually swung his arm about Luna's shoulders and they both walked back to the sidewalk. They met up with Ron, Hermione and Ginny and they all waited for Hagrid to take two strides across the entire lawn before anyone said anything.

'Where do we go from here?' Hermione asked, looking over at Harry.

'To be honest with you, I have no idea whatsoever.'

×××

'You all must be famished. Come inside and eat before you go on any more adventures today.' Mrs. Weasley smothered as she bustled the group back inside. 'Hagrid, would you like to join us for lunch?'

'Naw, thanks, Molly. Jus' ate breakfast a few hours ago.' He said, smiling and patting his belly.

'Well then, at least come into the parlour and sit down.' Mrs. Weasley insisted.

Hagrid nodded and entered the house after she did, closing the door behind him.

Harry sat down at the table along with Luna, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Bill, who had just joined them.

'Any luck with the Horcruxes?' Bill asked as Mrs. Weasley placed a bowl of stew under his nose.

Ron shook his head, his mouth full of food and Harry took the liberty to speak for him.

'We didn't start looking, yet. I wanted to go back home, first. I don't have any idea where we're supposed to look.' He explained, finally starting to eat the food that smelled so good in front of him.

'I'm sure some one must know something.' Hermione said.

'It'd certainly be easier with Dumbledore around, though.' Ron muttered.

'Everything was easier with Dumbledore around, Ron.' Mrs. Weasley said, waving her wand to clean up all the dishes she had used to cook. 'But we don't have him anymore and he would have wanted us to continue on with his plans. He wouldn't have left us completely without help. There has to be something and you'll find it sooner or later.'

'Let's just hope it's sooner rather than later.' Bill corrected her as she left the room.

'Let's hope.' Harry agreed.

'Maybe you should wait until the summer's over before you start hunting for these things. Maybe some of the Order will be able to help you.'

'I doubt they'd be able to help, but I guess that's all we really can do.' Harry said 'Without Dumbledore, or anyone really, we have no idea where to go or what to do.'

'Right. For now, just relax as much as you can, because knowing all of you, you won't get much of a chance after this.' Bill added as he emptied the last of his bowl's contents. Slowly, he got to his feet. 'And you had better be in a good mood in two days from now.'

'Two days from now?' Luna inquired. Though her bowl wasn't empty, she gently pushed it away from her, finished.

'The wedding.' Ginny told her. 'I suppose he thinks we'll ruin it.'

'Oh.' Luna stated.

'Did you want to come, Luna?' Bill asked, stopping as he made to leave the kitchen.

'Oh, no. I wouldn't belong there.' She said, smiling and shaking her head. 'But thank you.'

'What do you mean you wouldn't belong? You're one of Ginny's best friends, and any friends are welcome.' Bill explained.

'I don't know.' Luna said, still uncertainly.

'You should come.' Harry said. 'We'd want you there. All of us.'

Finally, Luna agreed, smiling faintly as they all brought their empty dishes back to the sink. Hermione quickly waved her wand and the dishes began to wash themselves, saving Mrs. Weasley the work.

'Up for a game of exploding snap, Harry?' Ron asked as they all walked into the parlour.

'Sure. Why not? Beating you might even make me feel a bit better.' Harry said jokingly, earning himself a light punch in the arm.

×××

Author's Note: Right. So. This is my second chapter. I don't know how great it is, but knowing me, probably not very. And if there are any readers, how do you feel about the length? Too short? If it is, let me know and I'll work on making my chapters a bit longer. As always, please leave me a review. :

-Caitie.


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